Minestrone Soup















Another fantastic recipe from my favorite Funk family! Easy, cheap and so hardy!I didnt have all the ingredients and this is a recipe you can easily use whatever you have and less of what you dont. I added pasta to make up for all the ingredients I didnt have. Love this one on a cold night! Thanks Julie!

Minestrone Soup

1/3 c olive olil
1 large onion, diced
4 large carrots sliced
2 large red potatoes, peeled and diced or you can use 1 lb spiral or shell pasta, PRE-COOKED and drained
1 green pepper cut in 1/2 inch squares
1 1/2 cups green beans (I just use 1-2 cans green beans drained)
1 medium sized green cabbaged, shredded
5 cups beef stock (may use boullion or canned beef broth)(You can use veggie broth to keep it vegitarian)
5 cups water
1 34 oz can crushed tomatoes (or diced or tomato sauce) (I use 1, 28oz can crushed tomatoes and 1 can 14oz diced tomatoes instead of 1 34oz can which I can never seem to find at the store)
2 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups garbanzo or kidney beans, drained (I always use 2 cans kidney beans drained, no garbanzo)
1 lb sweet italian sausage, cooked and drained (optional: I leave out the meat)

Saute onion in oil for 10 minutes, Stir in carrots and saute 2-3 minutes. Add potatoes if using, pepper, green beans, sauteing each 2-3 minutes before adding next. Last add cabbage and cook 5 minutes more. Add stock, water, tomatoes, beans, sausage (if using), oregano and basil, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer covered over low heat for 30minutes to 1 hour. The soup will be thick. Serve with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. May also make meatless.
EnJOY!